MAKING A DIFFERENCE
There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her
name was Mrs.Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very
first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked
at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible,
because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy
Stoddard.
Mrs.Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't
play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly
needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson
would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold
X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs.Thompson
taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's
off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's
first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his
work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher
wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled
because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His
third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to
do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon
affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy
is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends
and sometimes sleeps in class ."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realised the problem and she
was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas
presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His
present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy , brown paper that he got from a grocery
bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some
of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of
the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled
the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it
on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school
that day just long enough to say, "Mrs.Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom
used to."
After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day,
she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach
children. Mrs.Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him,
his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded.
By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class
and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became
one of her " teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from
Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six
years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished
high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in
his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things
had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon
graduate from college with the highest of honors.
He assured Mrs.Thompson that she
was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more
years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got
his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that
she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little
longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there.
You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl
and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years
ago and he was wondering if Mrs.Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding
that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs.Thompson did.
And guess what?
She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing.
And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing
on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other, and Dr.Stoddard whispered
in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you
so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs.Thompson,
with tears in her eyes, whispered back . She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong.
You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how
to teach until I met you."
Author unknown .